In the In-Between

Are you in the In-Between?

Are you a global citizen? Are you multicultural? Have you traveled and lived in different countries, seen many different cultures? Have you felt the ups and downs of adapting to multiple cultures? Has global mobilization changed you? Or are you someone trapped between childhood and adulthood, between he and she, between youth and maturity, between the old and the new? Yes? Then you should proceed with the next pages. Because maybe, just maybe, we can have virtual mental connectivity through experiences that many of us have gone through, or are still going through, but never communicate out loud. 

This collection was started with the intention of documenting the daily life of a 31-year-old woman who grew up in one culture, but who is culturally in-between. This makes her unable to fit in either of the extremes. Add to that her own personal struggles as a woman: self-image issues, body dysmorphia, weight issues, and societal roles. On top of that, of course, are the questions everyone faces: what do I want to do with my life, what will it take for me to be happy? This woman is in an eternal state of confusion. But don't worry! This will not be a diary. I will not write the minute details of what happened, but I will be analyzing the things that happened using the tools that I have learned both from formal or non-formal education, as an effort to understand, process, and find a course of action should the same thing happens again. 

Fact of the matter is, more and more people, especially those of the Gen Y and Z, are facing the same struggles on a daily basis. Globalization had its advantages. Notice I used past tense? Yes, because now, globalization doesn't just bring advantages anymore, but also disadvantages. One of those disadvantages is people like me, and maybe also you, who have been moving from culture to culture, having to adapt over and over again, until we eventually get confused as to who we really are, and where we truly belong. 

The first "chapter" will be dedicated to giving context to the whole thing. I will discuss the culture that I was born in, the culture with which my parents raised me, the culture that I later adopted as an adult, and how I now feel about my "home" culture. Unfortunately, I don't think it's possible to talk about culture without mentioning nationalities or geographic regions. Not wanting to censor my own thoughts and opinions, but also not wanting to be plucked from a comfortable life and be thrown into jail (or worse) due to freedom of speech, I will be using parts of the English alphabet to represent these very real countries. If you think you have figured out which countries I will be talking about, congratulations. I will neither confirm nor deny. 

So sit back, and feel free to browse through the chapters. Maybe you will find some relatable situations in some of them. Maybe you will encounter ideas that you also have, but never dare to say out loud. Maybe you will find a faraway sister who understands how you feel (If you do, do hit me up and let's have a chat!) Maybe you will find something that can be helpful to you when tackling your own issues. Maybe you can learn from my mistakes. Maybe. Let yourself be surprised.